Lula Appoints Manoel Carlos as Interim Justice Minister After Lewandowski's Exit

Overview

• An extra edition of the Diário Oficial on Jan. 9 formalized Ricardo Lewandowski’s exoneration and named Manoel Carlos de Almeida Neto as interim minister.
• The government is weighing a split of the current Justice and Security portfolio, with a standalone Security ministry under consideration.
• Contenders reported for the prospective security post include Federal Police director Andrei Rodrigues and CGU minister Vinícius Marques de Carvalho, while Wellington César Lima e Silva is cited for the Justice slot.
• State security secretaries, via Consesp, urged creation of a dedicated Security ministry and pointed to experienced managers such as Piauí’s Chico Lucas and PF chief Andrei Passos.
• Lewandowski cited personal and family reasons for stepping down after key initiatives like the Public Security PEC and an anti-faction bill stalled during internal disputes and congressional resistance.